The
electronic pop chanteuse
Dido entered London's Guildhall School of Music at age six; by the time she reached her teens, the budding musician had already mastered piano, violin, and recorder. After touring with a British
classical ensemble, she accepted a publishing job. Meanwhile, she sang with a series of local groups before joining the
trip-hop outfit
Faithless -- helmed by her older brother, the noted DJ and producer Rollo -- in 1995.
The group released its debut album,
Reverence, the following year. It went on to sell over five million copies worldwide, and
Dido parlayed her newfound success into a solo deal with Arista Records.
Dido's ethereal solo material combined elements of acoustic pop and
electronica. She released her debut LP,
No Angel, in mid-1999, and supported the release by joining the Lilith Fair tour that summer. However, her biggest break arrived in 2000, when
rap superstar
Eminem sampled one of her tracks, "Thank You," for the chorus of his hit single "Stan." The result was a surprisingly touching song, and demand for the
Dido original quickly escalated. "Thank You" became a Top Five smash in early 2001, as did the accompanying
No Angel, whose album sales topped 12 million copies worldwide by the time
Dido returned to the spotlight two years later. In September 2003, she released her long-awaited follow-up,
Life for Rent. This sophomore effort was layered with personal hardship and heartbreak, marking some of
Dido's more honest material yet. An eagerly anticipated record, it became one of the fastest selling albums in U.K. history, quickly going multi-platinum at home while also moving several million copies in America. Following a world tour,
Dido once again retreated from the public eye in 2005 to work on her third solo release. Safe Trip Home arrived in 2008, featuring collaborations with Brian Eno, Mick Fleetwood, Citizen Cope. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
